Report, United States Embassies in the United Kingdom, Spain, France, and Italy

Sixteenth August, 1951 ONFIPENTIALREPORT ARCHIVEE "NATIONAL of 1. THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM: Ambassador Gifford is believed to be a very able man and a conscientius worker in his country's cause. He appears, however, to be inexperienced in the world of politics and diplomacy. He has, himself, said privately that he is too old for the political-cum-social amenities which go hand-in-hand with a post such as his at the Court of St. James'. It is a curious fact that more can be done in a private house, club or at week-ends in London than in any Government office or during "working" hours. The Ambassador is a very kindly and essentially good man, doing the best he can. He has many friends in important places, but it is also true that he has irritated others as well, due mainly, I believe, to his inexperience. It would be difficult to have selected anyone who could have competed favorably with the immense popularity and prestige of Lewis Douglas. Whoever was selected to follow must suffer in comparison. It is a known fact that Lewis Douglas, while in Britain as a private citi- zen, is still in possession of more inside information and exercises more politi- cal (as opposed to official) thinking than does the Ambassador himself. The lat- ter is helped immeasurably by the presence and assistance of our able Minister, Julius Holmes, who, it is my personal and very private opinion, is the most know- ledgeable interpreter of Anglo-U. S. affairs and the most effective worker on our behalf behind-the-scenes. However, he may not have had either the finances or the "name prestige" to have carried off a higher assignment. We have a large repre- sentation in Britain, but somehow the liaison does not seem as effective as it might; neither American nor British to interpret their views to each other clearly enough for tolerant understanding, and social integration and "mixing" are more formal than need be. A case in point is Miss Truman's visit when many